Hsiao chin - 60 Years of Abstraction, Harmony And Form

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Hsiao Chin, Son of Xiao Youmei, founder of the Shanghai Music Academy, the first music academy in China, Hsiao Chin was born in 1935 in Shanghai. In 1949, he moved to Taiwan with his uncle. In 1952, Hsiao began his artistic studies under the tutelage of Li Chun-Sen, and started the first Chinese abstract art organisation, Ton-Fan Art Group, in 1955. In July 1956, Hsiao Chin received a scholarship from the Spanish government and participated in the Jazz Salon Exhibition in Barcelona in 1957, and was elected as one of the ten best emerging artists. In 1959, Hsiao first exhibited in galleria Numero in Italy and subsequently moved to Milan.

Starting in the1960’s, Hsiao founded several important modern art movements in Europe. In August 1961, Hsiao began Movimento Punto, an art movement that emphasised the universality of art, free from the limitations of space, time and trends. Art, in this sense, is an inwards quest of the artist, rather than an external pursuit. In 1977, Hsiao founded the Surya Movement (Sanskrit for Sun) with 8 other artists from six nationalities, advocating active exchange among different fields of artistic practices to achieve a form of international consensus. In 1989, Hsiao initiated the Shakti Movement, drawing inspirations from the wealth of energy within nature itself.

Aside from artistic creation, Hsiao also acted as a professor at institutes such as Long Island University, Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan, Louisiana State University and the Academy of Fine Arts, Urbino. In 1990, Hsiao’s daughter Samantha passed away, prompting him to create the subsequent series Passage Through the Great Threshold, elaborating on his newly found understanding of life.

Hsiao Chin’s abstract art works are highly commended internationally. He has had retrospectives at National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (1992), Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, Hangzhou China Academy of Arts (1994) (also his first time exhibiting in China), Taipei Fine Arts Museum (1995), Shanghai Art Museum (2004), National Art Museum of China (2006), and the Milan Triennale (2009).

Hsiao’s achievements were highly recognised by the Italian institutions, and was included as the only Asian artist in the 1997 major retrospective of modern masters by the Milan government.

Hsiao has had solo exhibitions across, Europe, North America and Greater China. Select institutional solo exhibitions include: National Museum of History and LungMen Art Gallery, Taipei (1978); Taipei Fine Arts Museum (1985); Faenza, Galleria Comunale Molinella (1994); Florence, Galleria Il Ponte (1998) and Museo Civico,Villa Colloredo Mels (2005).

Hsiao’s works are in the permanent collections of worldwide amongst: Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum & The Public Library, New York; Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna, Rome; National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Staatsgalerie – Stuttgart, Germany; Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia; Museo de Art Moderno, Barcelona, Spain; Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei; National Museum of History, Taipei and the Shanghai Museum of Art, Shanghai.

ARTWORKS

Opera figure 1 1955 Pastel on paper 26 X 36.5 cm

Opera figure 4 1956 Pastel on paper 26 X 36.5 cm

Opera figure 5 1956 Pastel on paper 27 X 38 cm

Opera figure 6 1956 Pastel on paper 27 X 20.5 cm

Pintura - AO 1959 Oil on canvas 65 X 55 cm

Pintura - Q 1959 Oil on canvas Painted in Spain 65 X 55 cm

Emptiness 1961.09.16 Ink on paper 30 X 58 cm

Encounter 1961 Ink on paper 52 X 33 cm

Living Cycle 1961 Ink on paper 58 X 30 cm

Convolution 1962 Acrylic on canvas 90 X 110 cm

Dynamic - 1 1962 Acrylic on canvas 140 X 110 cm

Connection 1963 Acrylic on canvas 110 X 90 cm

Movement of Light 1963 Acrylic on canvas 110 X 140 cm

Energy of Life 1995 Acrylic on canvas 90 X 110 cm

Flying Beyond the Flower Garden 7 1996 Acrylic on canvas 110 X 140 cm

Flying Beyond the Flower Garden 1998 Acrylic on canvas 90 X 110 cm

Concerto - 1 1999 Acrylic on canvas 90 X 110 cm

Untitled - 101 2004 Ink on paper 96 X 187 cm

BIOGRAPHY

BIOGRAPHY 2015 Hsiao Chin Solo Exhibition, de Sarthe Gallery, Hong Kong 2014 Infinite Energy ,Kuo Mu Sheng Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan.

Hsiao Chin Eternal Energy, Lotus Art Gallery, Kaohsiung Taiwan.

2013 Rreat ALL, Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan.

2012 Abstract art in Taiwan, Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan.

2010 Infinity of Chi: Retrospective of Hsiao Chin at Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts.

2009 Retrospective exhibition Viaggio in-finito 1995-2008 on the occasion of Triennale di Milano, Bovisa.

2007 Exhibition of heart theme paintings at Spazio Mazzotta in Milan.

Exhibition at Spazio Mazzotta and in Monsummano Terme at Museo di Arte Contemporanea e del Novecento on the occasion of the 5th International Engraving Biennial Awards.

2006 Glory to the Source, Hsiao Chin 1955-2005 retrospective exhibition at National Art Museum of China in Beijing.

Hsiao Chin Solo Exhibition, Lin & Keng Gallery, Taipei.

2005 Conferred by the Italian President C.A. Ciampi the honorable title of “Knight of Italian Solidarity Star”. Retires from Tainan National University of the Arts and becomes emeritus professor. Retrospective exhibitions “Hsiao Chin 1954-2004, a Journey back to the Source” at Guangdong Art Museum & Zhongshan Art Museum.

2004 The Journey of Hsiao Chin’s painting 1958-2004 at the Shanghai Art Museum.

2003 Series of touring exhibitions in 6 universities of Taiwan and delivers speeches.

2002 The Milan Province’s Oberdan Space dedicates to Hsiao a ceramic sculpture exhibit, Milan’s Mudima Foundation dedicates to him a recent large size painting exhibit, Milan’s Gio’ Marconi Gallery dedicates to him a retrospective exhibit of paintings on canvas and also Lattuada Gallery in Milan an retrospective exhibit of Hsiao Chin’s work on paper, both from 1958 to 2001. National Fine Art Prize from National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan.

Won Do Forni International Print of Venice, Italy.

2000 7” Venice International Architecture Biannual (Taiwan Pavilion)

1998 Exhibition of recent works at Galleria II Ponte in Florence, Galerie Di Meo in Paris and a retrospective exhibition from 1958 to 1998 at Institut Mathildenhohe in Darmstadt.

1997 An exhibition “Gathering Force” on Hsiao’s recent works from 1990 to 1997 organized by the Dimensions Art Center.

1996 Hsiao Chin one-man Exhibition, at Dimension Endowment of Art, Taipei. Marries Austrian soprano Monika Unterberger in May. Teaches painting at Graduate Institute of Plastic Art in Tainan National University of the Arts from October to 2005.

1995 Hsiao Chin: the Odyssey 1953-1994, Taipei Fine Arts Museum.

1994 Retrospective exhibitions at Beijing Central Art Academy and Hangzhou Chinese Art Academy, Hsiao’s first exhibitions in China.

1992 Hsiao Chin Retrospective Exhibition, Taiwan Museum of Art in Taichung.

1991 Aggrieved by the death of his daughter, creates a new series under the theme “The Great Threshold”, relating his new outlook on life. Thirty-fifth-year anniversary exhibition of Ton-Fan and Fifth Moon groups, Taipei.

1990 Daughter Samantha dies in Los Angels.

1988 Exhibition of Contemporary Italian Artists, Moscow; visits Leningrad (St. Petersburg). Major 30-year retrospective exhibit at the Studio Marconi, Milan.

1986 Hsiao is invited by the Chinese government to take part in events celebrating 100th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen. Travels and exhibits in Brazil.

1985 Begins teaching printmaking at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Breta, Milan until 1997 as a fully tenured professor.

1984-1985 Teaches at the Academia di Belle Arti Albertina in Torino, Italy.

1983-1984 Teaches art dissection and picture analysis at the Accademia di Belle Artiin Urbino.

1981 25th anniversary joint exhibitions of the Ton-Fan and Fifth Moon groups, Taipei.

1980 Participates by invitation in events in Beijing and Shanghai commemorating the 40th anniversary of father Hsiao Yu-mei’s death; Hsiao’s lecture in the Red Flag Hall of the ministry of culture on 20th century Western art is well attended. This visit is Hsiao Chin’s first return to China in 31 years.

1978 Founds the international Surya movement from Milan together with J. Tilson, G. Robusti and Kengiro Azuma.

Returns to Taiwan by invitation as the first artist to participate in the National Reconstruction Council; proposes the construction of art museums and the sponsorship of various international arts exchange programs. Major solo exhibition at the National Museum of History in Taipei.

1972 Teaches painting and drawing at State University of Louisiana, United States. Travels to Mexico to visits Aztec and Maya architecture.

1971-1972 Teaches visual theory at Milano’s Istituto Europeo di Design.

1969 Teaches painting and drawing at Long Island University’s Southampton College; meets William De Kooning.

Separates from Giuseppa Pizzo.

1967 Visits New York for the first time; remains there through 1971. Daughter Samantha is born in New York. Solo exhibition at Rose Fried Gallery, New York; meets Mark Rothko.

1966 Works in London for six months; exhibits at the Signals Gallery.

1964 Works in Paris for three months; holds solo exhibition at Galerie Internationale d’Art Contemporain.

1963 Marconi and M. D’Arquian assist Hsiao to enter contractual agreement with the prominent Galerie International d’Art Contemporain, Paris.

1962 Marries Italian painter Giuseppa Pizzo.

1961 In Milan, creates Punto Art Movement together with Italian artist A. Calderara; exhibitions are held in Milan, Barcelona, Albissola, Florence, Taipei, Rotterdam, Marerata, Roma, Bologna, and Zurich; and numerous Spanish, French and Dutch artists join in the movement. Holds first Milan solo exhibition at the Galleria Salone Annunciata, meets G. Marconi, with whom he enters a long-term collaboration.

1959 First solo show in Italy, at Florence’s Galleria Numero; moves to Milan.

1957 Once again, perceiving the conservatism of the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes La Lonja, Barcelona, determines not to pursue schooling and loses scholarship. Participates in French Circle Maillol Association and Royal Arts Association in Barcelona. The same year, Hsiao participates in the Barcelona Jazz Salon and is selected as one of the top ten outstanding painters; also, takes part in a series of May Salons, the most avant-garde national exhibition at the time in Spain. First ever one-man show at the Mataro Fine Arts Museum near Barcelona. The first Ton-Fan Art Group Exhibition is at year’s end simultaneously in Taipei and Barcelona’s Galena Jardin.

1955 Together with Hsia Yang, Wu Hao, Li Yuan-chia, Chen Tao-ming, Hsiao Ming-hsien, Ouyang Wen-yuan, and Huo Kang, participates in the founding ofthe first Chinese abstract painting movement, the TonFan Art Group. In July, receives a scholarship from the Spanish government and heads to Madrid; upon discovering the extreme conservatism ofthe Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Madrid, resolves not to matriculate there and in November moves to Barcelona.

1954 Graduates from Taipei Teacher’s College; begins teaching at Ching-mei Elementary School.

1952 Joins Li Chun-shen’s Antung St. studio, commencing formal study of modern art.

1951 Enters the Art Department at Provincial Taipei Teacher’s College under adviser Chou Ying; studies sketching briefly under Chu Teh-chun.

1949 Accompanies uncle Wang Hsueh-ting to Taiwan. Enters Taichung No. 2 High School and later transfers to Taipei’s Chengkung Middle School.

1935 Born in Shanghai. Father Hsiao Yu-mei, a pioneer in modern Chinese music education, founded China’s first music school, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1927.

Published on the occasion of de Sarthe Gallery exhibition:

May 29 - June 27, 2015

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